GINGERBREAD NUTS
Two pounds of flour, sifted.
One pound of fresh butter.
One quart of sugar-house molasses.
Two ounces of ginger, or more, if it is not very strong.
Twelve dozen grains of allspice, powdered and sifted
Six dozen cloves, powdered and sifted.
Half an ounce of cinnamon, powdered and sifted.
A half tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or salaeratus, dissolved in a
little vinegar.
Cut up the butter in the flour, and mix it with the ginger and other spice. Wet the whole with the molasses, and stir all well together with a knife. Then add the dissolved pearl-ash or salaeratus.
Throw some flour on your paste-board, take the dough (a large handful at a time) and knead it in separate cakes. Then put all together, and knead It very hard for a long time, in one large lump. Cut the lump in half, roll it out in two even sheets, about half an inch thick, and cut it out in little cakes, with a very small tin, about the size of a cent. Lay them in buttered pans, and bake them in a moderate oven, taking care they do not scorch, as gingerbread is more liable to burn than any other cake,
You may, if you choose, shape the gingerbread nuts, by putting flour in your hand, taking a very small piece of the dough, and rolling it into a little round ball.
COMMON GINGERBREAD.
A pint of molasses.
One pound of fresh butter.
Two pounds and a half of flour, sifted.
A pint of milk,
A small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, or less if it is strong.
A tea-cup full of ginger.
Cut the butter into the flour. Add the ginger. Having dissolved the pearl-ash in a little vinegar, stir it with the milk and molasses alternately into the other ingredients. Stir it very hard for a long lime, till it is quite light.
Put some flour on your paste-board, take out small portions of the dough, and make it with your hand into long rolls. Then curl up the rolls into round cakes, or twist two rolls together, or lay them in straight lengths or sticks side by side, and touching each other. Put them carefully in buttered pans, and bake them in a moderate oven, not hot enough to burn them. If they should get scorched, scrape off with a knife, or grater, all the burnt parts, before you put the cakes away.
You can, if you choose, cut out the dough with tins, in the shape of hearts, circles, ovals, &c. or you may bake it all in one, and cut it in squares when cold.